Like a beacon for cyclists, the Radhaus glows at night with silhouettes of cyclists riding by. Located next to the ICE Bahnhof in Erfurt, Germany, the bike station provides safe bike storage for commuters and also has a shop and a small refreshment stand. The shinning shed was designed by Osterwold+Schmidt, who created a multi-use facility in a high traffic area. Polycarbonate panels on the sides allow light to filter in during the day, and at night the glowing exterior improves security.

After the new rail station was completed in Erfurt, lots of commuters were riding their bikes to the station and chaining their bikes up to whatever they could find. Plans hadn’t been made to accommodate all the cyclists, so the city held a competition to make the most out of an unused lot next to the station. Osterwold+Schmidt from nearby Weimar were the big winners with their design for a glowing shed. The multi-purpose bike facility securely stores bikes, minimizes vandalism and damage while providing important services to local residents.

The Radhaus has a traditional storefront facing the street with a shop inside that sells cycling related gear. The building also holds space for offices, workshops, a service station and a refreshment stand. Commuters can safely store their bikes inside the long low space to the back, and you can even rent bikes from the facility. Inside there’s enough room to store 260 bicycles and there are 32 lockers to store people’s gear. The exterior is covered in durable, translucent polycarbonate panels decorated with gold and silver cyclists zooming by. During the day, the panels allow natural daylight into the shed space reducing the need for artificial light. At night lights inside make the building glow and provide additional light for increased security.